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Theological Education 1
The Relevance of Theological Education to the Pastoral Ministry of Graduates of Ghana
Christian University College
Student Name: Daniel Dela Dunoo
Supervisor: Dr. Brian Jennings
Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the BA (Hons.) Theology on
the 2nd of July, 2013.
Ghana Christian University College
Word Count: 11,038
Theological Education 2
ABSTRACT
This dissertation presents the results of an investigation into the relevance of theological
education to the pastoral ministry of graduates of Ghana Christian University College. It aims at
ascertaining the relevance or otherwise of theological education to the pastoral ministry of
graduates of Ghana Christian University College and to provide reliable information that may
prove useful for the purpose of fine-tuning the curriculum of the School of Theology of Ghana
Christian University College where need may be.
In other to achieve the afore-mentioned aims, a field based research was conducted and
the study was qualitative in approach. Interviews were conducted as the sole data collection
instrument and this was facilitated by the use of a semi-structured interview guide. Purposive
sampling method was employed in arriving at the requisite sample members. Eight graduates of
Ghana Christian University College formed the sample members for the study.
The study revealed that to a large extent theological education as obtainable at Ghana
Christian University College is relevant to the pastoral ministry of graduates of Ghana Christian
University College as it has imbued them with certain competences (skills and knowledge base)
that have proven beneficial to them in the discharge of their pastoral responsibilities. A few
deficiencies inherent in the content of theological education at Ghana Christian University
College were identified by respondents. Suggestions for improvement were also provided by
respondents.
Theological Education 3
DECLARATION
I, Daniel Dela Dunoo declare that this dissertation is entirely my own work, is free from
plagiarism, and is based upon ethically conducted research.
Theological Education 4
DEDICATION
This dissertation is dedicated primarily to Jehovah God and secondarily to my supportive
parents, Mr. Prosper Dunoo and Madam Esther Lawer.
Theological Education 5
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter One
Background of the Study…………………………….…………………………………….8
Brief History of Ghana Christian University College……….……………………………10
Research Question………………………………………………………………………...12
Rationale for the Study...………………………………………………………………....12
Hypothesis………………………………………………………………………………...13
Definition of Terms………………………………………………………………………..13
Chapter Two
Literature Review…………………………………………………………………………15
Historical Case Study of Theological Education in Africa……………………………….15
Perspectives on Theological Education…………………………………………………...17
Graduate Competences……………………………………………………………………21
The Pastoral Ministry……………………………………………………………...............24
Chapter Three
Research Methodology.......................................................................................................26
Population………………………………………………………………………………...26
Sampling Size……………………………………………………………………………..26
Sampling Method…………………………………………………………………………27
Data Collection Instrument……………………………………………………………….27
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Ethical Issues………………………………………………………………………….......28
Progress of Interviews…………………………………………………………………….29
Chapter Four
Presentation of data………………………………………………………………….........31
Graduates in the Pastoral Ministry………………………………………………………...31
Demands of the Pastoral Ministry…………………………………………………………31
Some Courses Studied…………………………………………………………………….32
Knowledge and Skills………………………………………………………………...........33
Deficiencies of Theological Education…………………………………………………....34
Suggestions for Improvement……………………………………………………………..35
Commendations for Theological Education………………………………………………36
Chapter Five
Analysis of Data ………………………………………………………………………….39
Theological Education and Graduate Competences………………………………………40
The Pastoral Ministry and Graduate Competences……………………………………….41
Relevance and Graduate Competences……………………………………………………42
Chapter Six
Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………...46
Recommendations for Ghana Christian University College……………………………...46
Recommendations for Further Studies…………………………………………………....48
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References………………………………………………………………………………...49
Appendix A…………………………………………………………………………App., 1
Appendix B…………………………………………………………………………App., 1
Theological Education 8
CHAPTER ONE
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Over the centuries one of the distinct characteristics of Christendom in its` evangelistic
and discipleship drive has been the establishment of Bible schools (catechetical schools,
theological seminaries, centers for pastoral formation) (Hilderbrandt, 1996; Shaji, 2012).
From the inception of Christianity, education has played a major role in enabling the
tradition of the Christian faith to be remembered and celebrated. The very first theological
seminary to be established was the catechetical school of Alexandria in Egypt, headed by
Pantaenus and then Clement of Alexandria. This school was established around AD180. Many
other such institutions sprang up in other locations subsequently (Bediako, 2009; Werner, 2009;
Shaji, 2012).
This continued until the 8th century where Cathedral Schools were established for
providing theological education to the clergy. However, this was not the dominant feature on the
landscape of theological education. The most dominant feature was theological education
provided at monasteries. Many were trained and served subsequently as priests in many parishes.
It also worth-noting that in time, Cathedral schools which was at one point in time meant solely
for the education of the Clergy were opened to all parishioners. Subsequently, the Cathedral
School system metamorphosed into medieval universities in the 12 th and 13th centuries (Shaji,
2012).
Perhaps the most dominant and significant event associated with the 16th in relation to the
history of Christianity is what has been generally termed the 16 th Century Reformation (Also
known as the Protestant Reformation), a movement that led to the split of then Catholic churches
Theological Education 9
into national churches and denominations. Theological education played a significant role in the
emergence and perpetuation of this movement which was championed by men such as Martin
Luther and John Calvin. John Calvin for instance established the Genevan Academy were as
Martin Luther propagated his message (and trained ministers) through lectures he frequently held
as professor of theology in the University of Wittenberg (Cairns, 1996; Houghton, 1980).
An impressive feature in the Churches history during the 18th and 19th centuries was the
establishment of numerous Christian missionary societies in America and England (many of
these societies were established by individual Christian denominations) which sent and
sponsored missionaries across the length and breadth of the globe (more precisely, to countries in
Asia, Pacific Islands and Africa). Generally, the labours of Christian missionaries were
characterized by Bible translations in native dialects, philanthropic works, the provision of
education and medical services. Schools, colleges and theological institutions (to serve as a base
for the spread of the Christian faith and also for training pastors and other church leaders) were
established and manned by Christian missionaries. The missionaries held what is generally
termed catechism classes (where the Bible is taught systematic for purposes of discipleship) for
parishioners, and which played a significant role in the growth of churches (Hilderbrandts, 1996;
Houghton, 1980; Shaji, 2012).
The seemingly impressive history of theological education notwithstanding, for decades
and even centuries, the relevance of theological education to the pastoral ministry has been hotly
contested and this phenomenon has gone on unabated. The bone of contention has been whether
or not persons in the pastoral ministry need some amount of theological education to be
effective. Persons and groups of persons have gone to the extent of questioning the very idea of
theological education (that is, formal theological education as acquired in Christian Theological
Theological Education 10
institutions) and have contended that nowhere in Scripture is theological education mentioned,
let alone made a requirement for the pastoral ministry (Larom, 1989, Shaji, 2012).
Others scholars such as Jefferson (1973), Poling and Miller (1985) and Houston (2007),
without explicitly challenging the very idea of theological education have nonetheless raised
critical issues with the content of theological education (that is, the curriculum of theological
seminaries) and have vociferously contended that much of what is taught in theological
institutions are abstract and have no practical bearing on the pastoral ministry (Jefferson, 1973).
Is that really the case? Are the issues leveled against theological education legitimate? Perhaps, it
may be an over generalization and consequently an issue of stereotyping for any group of
persons to argue against the relevance of theological education to the pastoral ministry. One may
note that there are variations in the package (content) of theological education from one
theological institution to another. Also, the relevance of theological education to the pastoral
ministry is broad and perhaps not researchable on the basis of the afore-mentioned observations,
except it is narrowed down to a particular context; hence the introduction of the phrase
“graduates of Ghana Christian University College” to my research topic. It is worth-noting at this
juncture that some background information will be required with respect to Ghana Christian
University College.
Brief History of Ghana Christian University College
Ghana Christian University College, formerly Ghana Christian College and Seminary is a
non-denominational Christian educational institution of higher learning in Ghana which was
established in 1966 by the joint efforts of some American and Ghanaian with the primary intent
of making available to Ghanaian churches teachers, pastors and evangelists who are highly
Theological Education 11
trained and equipped to effectively discharge their responsibilities as leaders in their various
churches (Ghana Christian University College, 2012).
The University is accredited by the National Accreditation Board (Ghana) and was
validated by the University of Wales. The School of Theology of Ghana Christian University
College is currently affiliated to South African Theological Seminary (SATS)(Ghana Christian
University College, 2012).
Ghana Christian University College (which originally provided theological education
only, currently runs three schools, namely, the School of Theology, the School of Development
Management and the School of Professional Studies. For purposes of this study focus will be
given solely to the School of Theology. The School of Theology offers a four year degree
programme in Theology (full time and part time) which has concentration areas in Leadership,
Christian Education, Biblical languages, Cross-cultural ministries, Youth Ministries and Conflict
Management (Ghana Christian University College, 2012).
The aim of the Bachelor of Arts in Theology is to provide suitably qualified Christian
leaders (or those aspiring to Christian leadership) with a higher level of education that
will equip them to exercise appropriate leadership in a variety of institutions and
situations related to Christian faith and mission (Ghana Christian University College,
2010, p. 2).
The School of Theology also runs a two years Higher Certificate programme in pastoral
ministries and a three months certificate programme in pastoral ministries. Many courses run in
the degree programme are also run in the afore-mentioned programmes (Ghana Christian
University College, 2012).
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Since the inception of Ghana Christian University College till date, over a thousand
graduates have been churned out. The great majority of these graduates are practicing Christian
ministry around the globe. “They are serving as pastors, teachers, principals, vice – principals,
academic deans, lecturers in Bible colleges, and proprietors of schools; others are serving as
evangelists, cross-cultural missionaries, and auxiliary workers” (Ghana Christian University
College, 2012, p. 6).
The brief history and background information given about Ghana Christian University
College has been focused for the most part on the School of Theology. This is primarily because
of its relevance to the study. It has been noted that among others, Ghana Christian University
College seeks to train men and women for various fields of Christian ministry such as
evangelists, missionaries, Bible teachers and ministers of the Gospel. It is worth - noting that
many of her graduates are practicing pastoral ministry. This study in part seeks to ascertain
whether the content of theological education obtainable at Ghana Christian University College
has adequately prepared graduates for the pastoral ministry. The persons better suited to provide
reliable data on this subject is none other than graduates from the very same institution who have
been in the pastoral ministry at one point in time or the other and those who are currently in the
pastoral ministry.
Research Question
Does Theological Education obtainable at Ghana Christian University equip her graduates with
the requisite skills and knowledge to adequately meet the demands of the pastoral ministry?
Rationale for the Study
The rationale for this study connotes the reason for or the significance of this research. In
other words, why the choice of research topic and why research on this topic amongst many
Theological Education 13
other possible topics? The rationale for embarking on this study is two-fold, and they are as
follows:
1. This study is primarily to ascertain the relevance or other wise of Theological education
in the pastoral ministry of graduates of Ghana Christian University College.
2. Secondarily, this study is intended to provide reliable information that may prove useful
for the purposes of fine-tuning the curriculum of the School of Theology of Ghana
Christian University College if need be.
Hypothesis
According to Creswell (2003) hypothesis…are predictions the researcher holds about the
relationship among variables” (p. 108). In other words a hypothesis is a researcher`s predictions
of the research findings based on his or her expectations. The hypothesis aids in the selection of
research methods to employ as the appropriate methods will be those intended to test the
hypothesis. Below is the hypothesis for the study.
The School of Theology at Ghana Christian University College equips its graduates with the
requisite body of knowledge and competences to adequately meet the numerous demands of the
pastoral ministry which includes administration, preaching, teaching, counseling and the overall
shepherding of God`s flock under their care.
Definition of Terms
In the context of this study theological education particularly in relation to graduates of
Ghana Christian University College basically refers to the education acquired by students
pursuing a course in Theology at Ghana Christian University College.
Theological Education 14
Pastoral ministry in the context of this study essentially connotes all the roles and
responsibilities that goes with pastoring a church (congregation); the task of shepherding God`s
flock.
In the context of this study, graduates of Ghana Christian University College represents
all persons who at one point in time or the other pursued a course in Theology, be it four years,
three years, two years or three months and successfully completed their course of study.
Theological Education 15
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
In communicating the purposes of literature review, Creswell (2003) asserts that “it
provides a framework for establishing the importance of the study as well as a benchmark for
comparing the results of a study with other findings” (p. 30). He notes that according to Cooper
(1984), Marshall and Rossman (1999), literature review “…relates a study to the larger ongoing
dialogue in the literature about a topic, filling in gap sand extending prior studies” (p. 30). The
literature review is essentially the secondary data component of the study.
The literature review for the ongoing study is to find out the relationship that exists
between theological education and the pastoral ministry and thus discover the relevance of
theological education to the pastoral ministry of graduates of Ghana Christian University
College. This part of the study comprises a systematic identification, location, and analysis of
documents containing information related to the research topic.
Historical Case Study of Theological Education in Africa
As was noted earlier in the study (introduction to the study), the first theological
institution to be established was in AD180 at Alexandria. Obviously Alexandria was situated in
Africa (specifically, North Africa). The Church of that period in history thrived in parts of North
Africa but failed to make inroads to other parts Africa until the sojourn of Christian missionaries
from Europe and America to the various parts of the African continent in 18th and 19th centuries
(Bediako, 2009; Shaji, 2012).
The influx of Christian missionaries from America, England and other parts of Europe to
many parts of Africa around the 18th and 19th centuries made theological education through
Theological Education 16
catechisms and other educational outlets such the seminaries a necessity (an enterprise they
could not do without (Hilderbrandt, 1996; Shaji, 2012).
The Universities Mission from Oxford, England is noted to have been the first Christian
missionary group to begin mission work in Nyasaland – present day Malawi (this was in the
1800`s). Among other essential tasks “the Universities Mission…had a Bible school for training
African pastors” (Hildebrandt, 1996, p. 179). Mission work and the establishment of Bible
schools (Theological institutions) for equipping men and women for the ministry (catechist,
missionaries and pastors) seem to have gone hand in hand in some parts of Africa. This seems to
have been the trend in many African countries where Christian mission work was began and in
many instances this phenomenon yielded significant dividends for the cause of Christ.
In some African countries (Ghana inclusive), prior to the establishment of theological
institutions for the equipping of Africans for the task of expanding mission work and pastoring
converts won, some African Christians obtained sponsorship from the mission societies. They
were sponsored by Christian mission societies to enroll in theological institutions in foreign
countries and were subsequently ordained into the pastoral ministry shortly after their
graduation. These persons were sent back to Africa to shepherd God`s flock even as they labored
to advance the cause of Christ. In many instances, this phenomenon yielded fruitful results
(Hilderbrandt, 1996).
In the 20th and 21st centuries, African Christians and denominations have taken up the
challenge of establishing theological institutions for equipping certain persons for the pastoral
ministry amongst many other Church leadership roles. Africa can boast of a good number of
reputable Bible scholars and theologians who are making significant contributions to theological
education and by extension to the church in Africa. It is worth-noting that the content of
Theological Education 17
theological education though varies from institution to institutions are largely patterned after
much of what pertains in theological circles (that hold fast to orthodoxy) in the Western world
with some variations and modifications.
Many over the years have expressed their views regarding theological education. Some
views converge whereas others are diametrically opposed to each other. Some views however are
complementary and not averse to other views expressed. Some consideration will at this juncture
be given to a discussion of perspectives on theological education as proffered by some scholars.
Perspectives on Theological Education
Numerous and divergent views have been expressed by some scholars on the African soil
and in the world at large. A good number of them will be considered.
Kuligan (2005) makes a robust case for theological education as preparatory for the
pastoral ministry in Africa when he notes that the Church in Africa is characterized by numerical
growth on one side and the a few well trained pastors on the other hand. He sees this as a gross
mistake and a misnomer.
The above observation by Kuligan (2005) is a clarion call for the church in Africa to prioritize
the training of church leaders to better equip them to adequately shepherd the multitudes who are
flocking into many churches in Africa.
Akrong (2007) on the other hand advocates for what he terms transformation theology.
He states that the goal of transformation theology is to provide a broad-based theological
paradigm that captures for African society the total effect of God`s encounter with humanity in
Christ” (p. 29). Akrong calls for theological education in Ghana to be transformational in focus
to the extent that what is learnt in the theological circles finds expression in the lives of
seminarians (and pastors) and eventually positively impact the congregants they shepherd. His
Theological Education 18
call is for the content of theological education to be structured in the light of a theology of
transformation in a deliberate attempt to seek the transformation of the masses.
Houston (2007) expresses reservations about the content of theological education as
proffered by theological institutions in Africa (and abroad). He spells out what he considers as
the various divisions within the content of theological education (areas of specialization) such as
Biblical Languages and argues that they fragmented and thus fails to address the challenges of
life and that which comes with the pastoral ministry. He further contends that life is not
fragmented but is whole. Thus theological education becomes a misfit when it fails to be holistic
in content and approach.
Having established the above premise, Houston (2007) vociferously advocates for the
fashioning of the curriculum of theological institutions around the Kingdom of God. He states
that “the doctrine of the kingdom of God is generally not given the place it deserves in the
curriculums of our evangelical seminaries” (p. 5). He contends that “the Kingdom of God is
holistic, enabling us to bring all aspects of life under the rule or reign of God in a unified
theological concept” (p. 6).
Jefferson (1973) also raises issues with respect to the curriculum of theological
institutions but looks at it from a different angle. According to Jefferson (1973), theological
schools are partly to blame for the level of ignorance prevalent in many churches today. He is of
the opinion that the curriculum of seminaries are problematic, in that they are a subordinate
branch of education and to some extent are irrelevant as a means of equipping men and women
for the various roles the pastoral ministry confers. He further argues that the curriculums of
theological schools are theoretical and abstract in nature. Thus individuals who enter the pastoral
ministry soon after graduation, express unpreparedness and frustration when they encounter
Theological Education 19
certain challenges in the course of the ministry. Jefferson advocates for a reconsideration of the
curriculums of seminaries and their consequent fine – tuning to better prepare pastors for the role
of shepherds of God`s flock.
Larom (1989) on the other hand advocates for a continual process of theological
education. Larom is of the opinion that theological education becomes problematic when it is
discontinued after graduation from a theological school. He argues that the Disciples of Christ
were not products of theological schools but were continually taught by Christ. He however does
not condemn theological education all together but insists that it has to go beyond the period of
studies.
Chilver (1999) chooses to focus his lenses on spiritual formation in theological
institutions. He contends for its relevance in no uncertain terms. Chiver suggests in very exact
terms that any imbalance between academic excellence and the spiritual formation of seminary
students in the pursuit of theological education should be avoided. He neither downplays
intellectual development nor spiritual growth but argues for an ideal situation where theological
educators deliberately strive to ensure that a balance is maintained as much as practicable
between the academic development and the spiritual development of seminary students.
According to Poling and Miller (1985), “theological education has come to be organized
around competing understandings of the center of ministry: Preaching, education, counseling and
administration” (p. 19). They contend that in as much as these areas are important, such
organization is problematic, in that it poses a threat to the integrity of ministry. They see the
specialization that current theological education presents as a professional view of the pastoral
ministry which in itself is problematic. In their estimation, theological education is under intense
criticism for the very fact that it`s content is “fragmented, unrelated to actual life issues, overly
Theological Education 20
abstract…” (Poling and Miller, 1985, p. 149). In the judgment of Poling and Miller, “many of the
problems of seminary education stems from the tendency of such education to lose touch with
ministry as community formation” (p. 149).
According to Ward (1974), theological education is necessary for the Christian church,
hence its leadership. However, he makes certain observations and expresses certain reservations.
He is of the opinion that, theological education when seen as preparatory to the pastoral ministry,
instead of simultaneous with the pastoral ministry, is problematic, in that it reduces the positive
influence that is intended for the development of the Christian church. Ward (1974) argues that if
theological education was specifically meant to be preparatory to the pastoral ministry and if a
healthy relationship existed between Christian higher education and the growth of the Christian
church, then America would have been the most Christianized country in history. This is so
because, in his estimation, so many Theological schools have been established in America. He
also argues that some theological schools place a lot of premium on intellectual excellence to the
neglect of practical experience. This he claims leaves graduates not fully prepared for the
pastoral ministry. He thus advocates for a good blend of intellectual excellence and practical
experience and more so for theological education to become a life - long process.
The above discussion on the relevance of theological education comprises some of the
debates surrounding this vital subject. Views so far expressed per the literature review are broad
in scope; there is to a large extent an over generalization and perhaps an exaggeration of the
issues involved. At this point, focus will be turned to a discussion on graduate competences. This
comes at the backdrop of the fact that theological education is generally intended to train and
equip individuals for leadership roles in churches. It is common knowledge that the pastoral
ministry entails a number of functions. I thus submit that theological education seeks to provide
Theological Education 21
pastors and potential pastors with the requisite knowledge base and skills to effectively discharge
their functions as shepherds of God`s flock.
Graduate Competences
According to Hodges and Burchell (2003), “Spenser and Spenser view competency as
characteristic of an individual, that is casually related to job performance (1993)” (p. 16). They
further state that “competences can be accumulated within an individual and represent a capacity
to perform at some future point (Boam & Sparrow, 1992; Page, Wilson & Kolb, 1993)” (p. 16).
Hodges and Burchell (2003) note that, “in a work place context, competency is
combination of cognitive skills (technical knowledge, expertise and abilities) and personal or
behavioral characteristics (principles, attitudes and, values and motivation” (p. 15).
According to Freire and Teijeiro (2010), “a fairly generalized acceptance of competences
refers to an individual`s ability, in terms of degree of training, know – how, knowledge and
expertise to learn” (p. 80). They note that in the aforementioned case “…the aptitudes directly
refer to the skills and abilities of an individual” (p. 80). They do not leave their definitions at this
but proceed to state that “one could consider competence as the qualification, which basically
refers to the education necessary to achieve the desired professional expertise. So, competence is
the result of the qualification process that allows one “to be able to” or “to have the ability to” (p.
80).
Freire and Teijeiro (2010) classify competences into basically two categories, namely, generic
and specific competences. According to them, “generic competences are those referring to
transversal competences, transferable to many competences and tasks” (p. 80) whereas “specific
competences are those directly related to a particular occupation” (p. 80). For instance, the
ability to think critically can be considered generic whereas the ability to name and face
Theological Education 22
problems that occur in ministry can be considered a specific competence. This is because the
ability to think critically is a competence every graduate ought to have whereas the latter is in
specific reference to the pastoral ministry (that is, a specific occupation).
Hussain (n. d.) proffers what is in essence similar to the views expressed earlier in this
paper but approaches it from a different angle and gives a different twist to the discourse on
graduate competence as he makes use of some terminologies that have not come up as yet in the
earlier views.
According to Hussain (n. d.), The Higher Education Quality Council of the United
Kingdom (1995) proffered a definition of a graduate thus: “field specific (body of knowledge
and other qualities relevant to the field, shared (attributes common to graduates from a family of
degrees) and generic (attributes that apply to most degrees) (p. 3).” Hussain asserts (that is, on
the basis of the definition of a graduate) that “graduates are expected to possess skills as well as
ancillary qualities (or attributes) such as the use of language, memory, general knowledge and
familiarity with information technology (IT) and so on. He states that “…a student has to
develop general attributes and skills as well as subject specific skills. The former would be
expected of any degree graduate, such analytical and communication skills; whereas the later are
more subject and profession related skills such as accounting” (p. 3). Hussain thus creates a
significant and clear distinction between attributes and skill whiles he makes the point that every
graduate is expected to possess certain attributes and skills.
“Various authors have proposed a number of competences required or expected of
graduates”, asserts Hodges and Burchell (2003, p. 17). “For example, Maes, Weldy and Icenogle
(1997), consider oral communication, problem solving skills and self - motivation to be the three
most important competences required of graduates” (Hodges and Burchell, 2003, p. 17). They
Theological Education 23
further state that Starz (1997) likewise sees problem solving, teamwork, communication, skills,
and personal qualities, as the most important competences but suggests that the work place
context determines their relative importance” (p. 17). Herein lies the concept of specific
competence; competences suited for specific occupations.
A cursory look at the literature that has been reviewed so far brings one`s attention to
certain key words as pertains to graduate competences, namely skills, abilities, attributes,
knowledge, expertise and know – how. The idea projected is that in the course of one`s
educational pursuit, particularly in the pursuance of higher degree programmes, one is expected
to imbibe certain competences; these competences should have a bearing on one`s field of study
but transcends that also. It is important to note that the competences gained should in the ideal
situation equip graduates to effectively function in their specific field of work as it relates to their
specific field of study.
With respect to graduates from theological institutions, certain competences are required.
This represents what is termed specific (core) competences. Such competences may include
Bible interpretation, teaching, preaching and preparing sermon outlines. These competences
among several others ought to be gained in theological institutions in ideal situations and are
expected to have a direct bearing on pastoral ministerial role. There ought not to be a mismatch
and disconnect between competences gained and pastoral ministerial roles. In other words,
competences gained at theological institutions must have a direct bearing on the demands of the
pastoral ministry; they must adequately equip her graduates with the competences (necessary
skills - set, knowledge, know - how and expertise) that will be employed in accomplishing the
multiplicity of tasks the pastoral ministry demands. Herein lies the relevance or otherwise of
theological education to the pastoral ministry.
Theological Education 24
The Pastoral Ministry
Tidball (1997) notes that according to John Calvin “the work of the pastor was ‘to
proclaim the word of God, to instruct, admonish, exhort and censure, both in public and private,
to administer the sacraments and to enjoin brotherly corrections along with the elders and
colleagues’” (p. 191)
Poling and Miller (1985) observe that “a variety of images of pastoral leadership is
operative in the Church: theologian, educator (teaching elder), pastoral director, counselor,
preacher, administrator” (p. 18). They note that “each of these images has an important aspect of
ministry at its root” (p. 18). “Certainly, a pastor should be one who is committed to the Christian
tradition and can make the Scriptures come alive for the people in the role of teacher and
preacher (Poling and Miller, 1985, p. 18).
A pastor should be one who is sensitive to the various needs of persons and families and
can respond personally and professionally to them. A pastor should be able to direct and
administer a complex program of nurture and outreach that involves as many persons as
possible in the congregation`s mission” (Poling and Miller, 1985, p. 18).
It is abundantly clear from the above discussion that the pastoral ministry does not
connote just preaching but involves a complexity of roles; roles that are demanding and perhaps
requires some amount of training or equipping for effectiveness in fulfilling the tasks herein
identified. This brings to the fore the issue of graduate competences. Theological education finds
its relevance to the extent to which it aids students to imbibe the requisite competences to
adequately and effectively play the roles of the pastoral ministry, some of which John Calvin and
Poling and Miller have alluded to. The question then arise, does Ghana Christian University
College equip her graduates with the requisite competences for the pastoral ministry? This
Theological Education 25
question leads to a discussion of the research methodology; that which will be followed through
to assist in finding the appropriate answers for the question raised above and the research
questions that were noted in an earlier chapter.
Theological Education 26
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
“Methods are specific techniques that are used for data collection and analysis. They
comprise series of clearly defined, disciplined and systematic procedures that the researcher uses
to accomplish a particular task” (Swinton and Mowat, 2006). This part of the study seeks to give
a narration of the research methodology employed by the researcher in the conduct of the study
and thus includes population, sampling method (s), data collection instruments and ethical issues
that arose in the course of the study.
In his work on population and sample, Creswell (2003) asserts that the researcher must
“identify the population in the study” (p. 156). He states that “…the size of this population, if
size can be determined, and the means of identifying individuals in the population” (p. 156).
Population
Population in the context of research basically refers to an identifiable group of people or
species from which a sample representative of the population could be obtained for the purpose
of research. The population for this particular research includes all School of Theology graduates
from Ghana Christian University College who served in the pastoral ministry at one point in time
or the other and graduates who are currently in the pastoral ministry.
Sample Size
Graduates from Ghana Christian University College are a relatively large population. The
researcher chose relatively few members of this population as representative of the population.
This was informed in part by the fact that the researcher undertook a qualitative study as against
quantitative study. The sample size included eight (8) graduates of Ghana Christian University
College who are in the pastoral ministry or were at one point in time in the pastoral ministry.
Theological Education 27
The sample members (respondents) graduated from Ghana Christian University College
at different time period which includes 1987, 2005, 2010 and 2012. Each one of them is in the
pastoral ministry. One of the sample members pastors two churches in two rural communities in
northern Ghana. The others pastor single churches (one congregation per pastor) in various parts
of the country (Ghana) including Ada (in the Eastern Region), Kpandai (in the Northern Region)
and Tema (in the Greater Accra Region). Also worth-noting is that sample members serve under
diverse denominations such as Fountain Gate Chapel, Evangelical Church of Ghana and
Christian Church.
Sampling Method (s)
Due to the population involved in the research and the scope of the research study
purposive sampling method was employed. “Purposive sampling is where the sample is
specifically chosen because it offers the best chance of answering the question” (Swinton and
Mowat, 2006, p. 74). The researcher personally contacted some graduates amongst whom eight
were selected primarily because they are in the pastoral ministry. It is worth-noting that not all
graduates who undertake a course in Theology at Ghana Christian University College are in the
pastoral ministry. Thus the eight sample members were selected because in the estimation of the
researcher, they offered the best chance of answering the question this study sought to answer.
Data Collection Instrument
The qualitative approach to research was adopted for this study. According to Swinton
and Mowat (2006), McLeod (2001) proffers the definition below for Qualitative research:
Qualitative research is a process of careful, rigorous inquiry into aspects of the social
world. It produces formal statements or conceptual frameworks that provide new ways of
understanding the world, and therefore comprises knowledge that is practically useful for
Theological Education 28
those who work with issues around learning and adjustments to the pressures and
demands of the social world (p. 31).
Originally, this study was intended be a quantitative study. However, it became necessary to
employ interviews via the aid of semi-structured interview guides (a qualitative data collection
instrument) with the intent of gathering relevant data upon which questionnaires could be
constructed. Interviews were thus done for eight sample members by which time it had become
evident to the researcher that the data so far gathered was detailed, solidly valid and analysis
could be done with the wealth of data gathered. It is important to state that initially the researcher
was required to interview five sample members. This was subsequently increased to eight. By the
time data had been presented and analyzed, so much time had elapsed.
Ethical Issues
Ethical issues were considered prior to the commencement of the study and literally
throughout the entire study. “As researchers anticipate data collection, they need to respect the
participants and the sites for research; many ethical issues arise during this stage of the research”
(Creswell, 2003, p. 64). Ethical considerations in research are not limited to data collection but
extend to the analysis and interpretation of data collected. Creswell (2003) notes that “when the
researcher analyzes and interprets both quantitative and qualitative data, issues emerge that call
for good ethical decisions” (p. 66). Thus efforts were made to assure prospective respondents of
the following ethical issues prior to the commencement of each interview:
Conscientious efforts will be made to ensure that questions posed are as objective as possible
with no semblance of a deliberate intention to construct questions which will elicit information
that will invariable support my hypothesis. In other words, bias as per questions posed will not
be countenanced; objectivity will be the guiding rule.
Theological Education 29
The identity of participants / respondents will remain confidential. For the purpose of
anonymity of respondents, efforts will be made to ensure that their identity (their names) is kept
confidential. The names of respondents are not a requirement for availing themselves to be
sources of the data for my research and will be assured that their names will not appear anywhere
in my study. Pseudonyms will be used instead. This is intended to safeguard their identity to such
an extent that they will feel free to be as honest as possible in providing the data required for the
study.
Other ethical issues in writing the research will involve the potential of suppressing,
falsifying, or inventing findings to meet a researcher or an audience`s needs. These fraudulent
practices are not accepted in professional research communities, and they constitute scientific
misconduct (Neuman, 2000).Thus the bear facts of the research findings will be presented with
no massaging of data whatsoever. This suggests that conscientious efforts will be made to guard
against prejudice, stereotyping and bias in the presentation and analysis of data.
Progress of Interviews
As earlier noted, purposive sampling method was used for obtaining sample members
from the population (graduates from the School of theology of Ghana Christian University
College who are in the pastoral ministry). As also noted earlier, the data collection instrument
employed for this study is interviews. Eight interviews were conducted; five were face-to-face
interviews and three were conducted on phone. Five respondents could be contacted in person
because they lived within Amrahia town-ship (researcher lives within the very same township).
However, the other three respondents who were interviewed by phone lived relatively far from
the researcher. The researcher was constrained by time and financial resources that made it
inexpedient to embark on journeys to Tema, Accra and Yendi where the three respondents lived.
Theological Education 30
Researcher designed and utilized a semi-structured interview guide in facilitating the
various interview sessions. This proved helpful as it aided the researcher to remain focused and
maintain fluidity in the course of the interview sessions.
For an unknown reason, all respondents were receptive and were eager to be of assistance
in providing data to the researcher. Some intimated that they considered it a privilege to be
considered credible enough to be included in a sample for a study of such importance.
Time spent interviewing participants varied, with an average of twenty five minutes per
respondent. The longest session lasted for approximately 45 minutes. The gathering of data from
the field lasted for relatively long period of time; this was because were as some interview
sessions came off in quick succession (a matter of days), some other interview sessions came off
only after several weeks had elapsed. The basic reason for the afore-mentioned observation is
that some respondents were not readily available. They had to be contacted several times before
they could make time for an interview.
In a nutshell, interviews progressed fairly well with the exception of some minor hitches
which I earlier noted. These were ratified in the course of time. Each interview session was
unique. However the underlining feature amongst all the interview sessions is that each one was
a success.
Theological Education 31
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION OF DATA
This part of the study presents the data collated from the transcription of the eight
interviews conducted by the researcher and seeks to identify and expatiate on themes and sub-
themes that naturally emerge from the data obtained from the interviews.
Graduates in the Pastoral Ministry
All respondents indicated that they indeed graduated from Ghana Christian University
College at one point in time or the other. There was however variations with respect to the
programmes they pursued. Some pursued a four year degree programme in Theology (Bachelor
of Arts in Theology) whereas others a three years certificate progamme in Pastoral Ministry. All
respondents admitted that they are currently in the pastoral ministry with varying years of
experience in the pastoral ministry. For instance, Bonsu noted that he has been in the pastoral
ministry (within the Christian Church) for not less than twenty five (25) years whereas Sai noted
he had served in the pastoral ministry (within the Evangelical Church of Ghana) for seven (7)
years.
Demands of the Pastoral Ministry
Respondents enumerated and in some instances elaborated on numerous demands of the
pastoral ministry per their experience. These demands have been compiled as follows: Pastors
are required to have some measure of training, possess a vast knowledge of the word of God,
train others, preach and teach the Scriptures, perform duties such as burial ceremonies, offer
counseling services, visit people in hospitals, visit the homes of bereaved families, evangelize,
take charge of the affairs of the church (Church administration), administer the sacraments (the
Theological Education 32
Lord`s Supper and water baptism), live exemplary lives (morally upright lives), appoint
individuals to take leadership roles in the church and pray for the church.
For instance Adjetey (one of the respondents) made the following comments when he
was asked about the demands of the pastoral ministry:
The demands are monumental. As a pastor in such communities, one is expected to live a
life close to perfection. People within the church and outside the church expect so much
from pastors; they are expected to live holy lives and to be an example to the flock.
Pastors are required to give and tithe as they require their flock to give and tithe. Also, as
a pastor, I am required to preach, teach leaders, encourage people, advise them and
correct them (Appendix B, p. 21).
What is abundantly clear from the views expressed by respondents regarding the
demands of the pastoral per their experience is that the pastoral ministry is multifaceted and may
sometimes seem overwhelming by the sheer load of expectations from family members,
congregants and the society at large.
Some Courses Studied
Respondents were emphatic that they were required to study numerous courses, some of
which did not come readily to minds of respondents during the interview session. Assiedu noted
that he was required to study “numerous courses” (Appendix B, p. 19). A collation of these
courses includes Apologetics, Hermeneutics, Homiletics, Church Administration, Pauline
Epistles, Psychology, Sociology, Christian Education, African Traditional Religion, Islam,
Pastoral Counseling, Evangelism, Practical Ministry, Wisdom Literature, Old Testament
Prophets I and II, Basics of Accounting, English, The life of Christ, Communications Skills,
Origins of Civilization, Teaching Methods, Church History, Bible Survey (Bible Backgrounds),
Theological Education 33
Christian Doctrines (Systematic Theology), Archaeology, Pastoral Ministry, Youth Ministry,
Christian Ethics, World Religions and Philosophy. Having noted all these courses, it is important
to state that most of the courses (and their variations) appears to have been a requirement for all
respondents. One respondent (Adjetey) noted that he majored in Biblical languages and Pastoral
leadership whereas another (Gyamfi) noted he majored in Christian Education and Pastoral
Ministry. None of the respondents expressed any views regarding their areas of specialization
that seemed to suggest that they thought specializing in the areas they did was a mistake or a
disadvantage. What a significant number of them tended to say were, that their specialization
was an advantage since it afforded them the opportunity to learn so much and broaden their
horizon.
Knowledge and Skills
Respondents mentioned a multiplicity of knowledge base and skills they had imbibed as a
direct result from their theological education at Ghana Christian University College. These are
essentially graduate competences. Below is a compilation of such knowledge base and skills
respondents made mention of. A number of respondents indicated that their study of
Hermeneutics afforded them privilege of applying hermeneutic tools in their interpretation and
understanding of the Biblical text. Others indicated the imbibing of virtues such as discernment,
humility and integrity in ministry as a result of some of the courses studied in Ghana Christian
University College; their knowledge of ministerial ethics has been valuable in these respects.
Some other skills developed includes sermon preparation, ability to preach effectively, ability to
teach, organize and train church leaders, ability to counsel(and encourage) congregants, ability to
evangelize effectively, ability to prepare curriculum, ability to understand people and
accommodate them (ability to relate to people of differing faiths), ability to proffer a solid
Theological Education 34
defense for the Christian faith through the application of strategies (Apologetics) and logical
reasoning, ability to conduct oneself appropriately in public and private, the ability to answer
questions and deal with propaganda appropriately. A respondent noted that his education had
ignited in him the desire for learning, had broadened his horizon and has helped him
intellectually (Adjetey, Appendix B., p. 23).
A significant number of knowledge based skills have been stated per the views expressed
by respondents on the subject. The import of their comments is that, they were afforded the
privilege of being aided to imbibe treasured and vital knowledge based skills which they deploy
in the discharge of their pastoral duties. In other words, these competences obtained by graduates
through their theological education at Ghana Christian University College were not a mismatch
in their relation to the pastoral ministry but was a good fit.
Deficiencies of Theological Education
The data obtained under the above theme does not refer to theological education in
general but is specifically concerned with the content of theological education obtainable at
Ghana Christian University College. Three respondents noted in no uncertain terms that they had
not noticed any deficiency with respect to content of theological education as pertains at Ghana
Christian University College. A majority of five respondents noted through their submissions
that in as much as they think very highly of the content of theological education obtainable at
Ghana Christian University College, there are certain deficiencies. It is worth-noting that
Quarshie alludes to the fact that “no system in this plane of life exudes perfection” (Appendix B,
p. 26). Below is a collation of the views expressed by respondents with respect to the
deficiencies inherent in the content of theological education provided by Ghana Christian
University College: An overemphasis on academic excellence to the detriment of the spiritual
Theological Education 35
development of students; some lecturers` intolerance of the expression of divergent opinions by
students, and the lack of adequate monitoring schemes for practical assignments and students`
internships; the vast majority of books authored by Westerners and not entirely applicable to the
African context; Less emphasize on prayer and some other spiritual matters; and some of the
“courses failed to reflect current trends of life and situations” (Appendix B, p. 15).
One of the respondents (Sai) made a remarkable observation with respect to whether or not there
are deficiencies in the content of theological education provided by Ghana Christian University
College. Below are his comments
The content is not bad any way but what I think is that when you are on campus, you only
go through the theoretical aspect of the ministry, the practical aspects are missing and
sometimes students may be asked to go and do some internship and you come back with
a report; whether it is true or not, no one knows about it because nobody will go out there
and bring a bad report concerning himself. So the content is good but how to monitor it
and know that really it is making an impact on the students is a problem that I think the
school has (Appendix B, p. 6).
Quite clearly, respondents did not hide their misgivings about what they thought were
deficiencies in the content of theological education they received at Ghana Christian University
College. These supposed deficiencies have been catalogued already and thus need no mention at
this juncture. Respondents went further to proffer suggestions that they considered when
implemented could eliminate the supposed deficiencies. This will be looked at shortly.
Suggestions for Improvement
All respondents spoke highly of Ghana Christian University College. However, most
respondents indicated that there was more room for improvement when it comes to the content of
Theological Education 36
theological education available at Ghana Christian University College. They thus proffered some
suggestions as to how to improve on what currently prevails in the institution. They are
enumerated below: The introduction of a course on missions; The inclusion of a full course on
Biblical exegesis that runs for more than a semester; The inclusion in spiritual theology areas
that deal with spiritual realities that the African Christian minister may be faced with in his or
her line of duty and course should be taught by a lecturer with a lot of experience when it comes
to spiritual matters; Stoking the school library with a lot more books authored by African
scholars and using some of these books as text books; striving to maintain a balance between
academic excellence and the spiritual development of students; making conscious efforts at
maintaining a balance between theory and practice; Putting in place pragmatic measures to
ensure that students practical assignments and internship are monitored by course instructors or
lecturers; Encouraging spiritual disciplines such as prayer amongst students; the employment of
more lecturers who are not merely academically astute but who also have a wealth of experience
in Christian ministry.
In the estimation of respondents the above noted suggestions could go a long way to fine-
tuning the content of theological education as provided by Ghana Christian University College to
make it more relevant.
Commendations for Theological Education
Data obtained for the above mentioned category makes a case for theological education
in general but more particularly theological education that may be obtainable from Ghana
Christian University College. All eight respondents spoke favorably about theological education
has proffered by Ghana Christian University College. They indicated that they will recommend
the pursuance of theological education at Ghana Christian University College to pastors and
Theological Education 37
would be pastors and proffered reasons for their stands. Bonsu asserted thus: “Sure! Sure! I think
I will because the kind of training that is given here is adequate to equip any serious person or
any serious minded person who wants to do ministry for the Lord so I will, I will” (Appendix B,
p. 4) .Aboagye also observed that he thinks Ghana Christian University College has “good
teachers and they are very serious with teaching” (Appendix B, p. 12). Sai on the other hand
noted that he had already recommended the pursuance of theological education at Ghana
Christian University College to several persons and that he did so and continues to do so because
per his experience (and encounters with some pastors) he is fully persuaded that the theological
education proffered by the afore-mentioned institution is comparatively more effective than that
provided by other institutions.
Gyamfi (one of the respondents) went a step further to make a case for theological
education in general. He spoke extensively. Below is part of the argumentation he made for
theological education.
…Every Christian and for that matter people who are called into the pastoral ministry are
vessels of God. It is like raw material that has not been processed, it becomes unusable
but when it has been processed into its finished product, then you can use it to do
whatever you want to do with it. The calling may be there but it requires training and
training under tutors; people who have learnt and know what the Bible says. So it is
necessary that every pastor or every potential pastor goes through training – theological
training to be able to run the pastoral ministry.
…Let us consider Doctors and other professionals. They cannot just get up and begin to
operate on an individual or their profession without going through training. It is like
taking a car and giving it to a novice, somebody who has not been taught how to drive.
Theological Education 38
Can you imagine the number of people such a person will kill on the way? So it is with
theological education. The fallacy is that we think when you have the anointing, you can
do the pastoral ministry but it should not be the situation. It requires training…
And thirdly, there are excesses in the body of Christ. Day in, day out, people who have
not gone through theological education have been using the Bible inappropriately to
extort and sometimes mal-handle some of the text simply because they do not know what
the text is all about. So for us to be able to curtail or prevent some of these excesses, it
requires that every pastor or potential pastor goes through theological education to be
equipped to be able… to do the pastoral ministry… (Appendix B, pp. 16-17).
Evidently, all respondents spoke well of theological education in general and theological
education as provided at Ghana Christian University College in particular. The idea is that as far
as they are concerned, it will serve people who are called into the pastoral ministry well to
pursue some appreciable level of theological education. Respondents did indicate that they can
vouch for Ghana Christian University College.
The focus of this chapter has been to present data collected via interviews conducted in
the course of the study. The presentation was compartmentalized into six, namely, graduates in
the pastoral ministry, demands of the pastoral ministry, some courses studied, knowledge and
skills, deficiencies of theological education, suggestions for improvement and finally,
commendations for theological education. This compartmentalization was done to ensure an
orderly, logical, coherent and succinct presentation of data. An analysis of data presented was
done in the next chapter (chapter five).
Theological Education 39
CHAPTER FIVE
ANALYSIS OF DATA
This part of the study focuses on an analysis of the data obtained from respondents
(primary data) and data obtained from secondary sources (literature review). It merits noting that
data obtained from primary sources and that obtained from secondary sources collaborate in
certain respects but are diametrically opposed in some other areas.
Theological education has been part and parcel of the Christian church for literally
centuries as was noted during the review of literature earlier in this study. It has undergone
innovations, contextualization, fine-tuning and changes as time has traveled and as it has found
acceptance in different cultural and geographical settings (Shaji, 2012).
Theological education as provided at Ghana Christian University College features
prominently in the long history of theological education in the world. Its curriculum is obviously
fashioned after that of many standard theological institutions but exudes some uniqueness
flowing from contextualization amongst others. These may be deduced from the literature
reviewed on the subject and more so from the courses that were enumerated by respondents
(these were exhaustively captured in the presentation of data in the earlier chapter.
Nonetheless, many scholars such as Jefferson (1973), Houston (2007), Poling and Miller
(1985) have raised issues with the content of theological education and have suggested in
unambiguous terms that theological education as is currently fashioned out is outmoded, abstract,
fragmented and irrelevant to the current challenges of life and ministry. Some have suggested
that there is a mismatch between the curriculums of theological institutions and the demands of
the pastoral ministry. They have sought to argue that theological education has failed woefully to
prepare seminary graduates for the realities of the times. Are these assertions well founded and
Theological Education 40
will the views expressed by respondents in this study collaborate and oppose such assertions? As
the discussions unfold the answer will be forth-coming.
Theological Education and Graduate Competences
Literature reviewed indicates that generally, theological education is intended to make
available to students some body of knowledge and skills to prepare them for leadership roles (the
pastoral ministry inclusive) in the Church. Theological education provided from one Christian
seminary to another possesses some similarities but differ in certain respects. Some may have a
bias towards one theological position or another. Some theological institutions may focus more
on intellectual development and scholastic ability whereas others may focus on the spiritual
development of students. Some may strive to maintain a balance between intellectual
development and the spiritual formation of the students. Some theological institutions may focus
on theological education by extension (life-long theological education). Other theological
institutions may focus on transformational theology or the kingdom of God. Scholars abound
who advocate for one or more of these focuses as have been noted in the literature review.
Ghana Christian University has chosen to run several courses for her four year degree
programme with specializations in Conflict Management, Youth Ministry, Church leadership,
Cross-cultural Ministries and Biblical languages. Respondents have confirmed these and have
specified some of the courses they were required to study. These have been captured in the
chapter four of this study.
Respondents also indicated certain knowledge based skills they imbibed during the
course of their study and which they utilize in meeting the demands of the pastoral ministry.
What this indicates is that, the courses run at Ghana Christian University College played a
pivotal role in their acquisition of the requisite competences for their pastoral ministries. At this
Theological Education 41
point, one has to bear in mind what the term graduate competence suggests. Graduate
competence indicates the skills-set imbibed by students during the course of their education
which are expected to be brought to bear in their chosen careers. These skills-set are a necessity
for their chosen careers. Be that as it may, per the responses given by respondents, the skills-set
obtained by graduates in the course of their theological education at Ghana Christian University
College has afforded them the requisite competences required to be efficient in their pastoral
ministry. This is a far cry from the blanket assertions of scholars such as Jefferson who contend
that the curriculums of theological institutions are obsolete, abstract and are at odds with the
practical realities of the pastoral ministry.
The Pastoral Ministry and Graduate Competences
Another area that merits discussion is the demands of the pastoral ministry as it relates to
graduate competences. When it comes to pastoral roles and responsibilities (demands of the
pastoral ministry) there appears to be consensus between the literature reviewed on the subject
and the views expressed by respondents. John Calvin for instance notes that the pastor is to
preach God`s word, counsel and administer the sacraments amongst others (Tidball, 1997).
Poling and Miller (1985) mentioned that the pastor functions as a theologian, an educator,
counselor, administrator, preacher and several other roles. Their views regarding pastoral roles
where never intended to be exhaustive. It will therefore come as no surprise when respondents
mention other roles aside that mentioned by the scholars who have thus far been cited.
Respondents enumerated a multiplicity of pastoral roles and responsibilities per their
experience which included the following: Pastors are required to have some measure of training,
possess a vast knowledge of the word of God, train others, preach and teach the Scriptures,
perform duties such as burial ceremonies, offer counseling services, visit people in hospitals,
Theological Education 42
visit the homes of bereaved families, evangelize, take charge of the affairs of the church (Church
administration), administer the sacraments (the Lord`s Supper and water baptism), live
exemplary lives (morally upright lives), appoint individuals to take leadership roles in the church
and pray for the church.
It is quite obvious at this point that primary data and secondary data on the subject under
discussion are in sync. Views expressed by respondents are much lengthier. There are
commonalities regarding pastoral roles in areas such as administration, administering the
sacraments, counseling, preaching and teaching (educator).
Graduate competences come to play in this discussion precisely because the multiplicity
of pastoral roles and demands require certain competences without which they cannot be
effectively discharged. It is generally hoped that graduates from theological institutions imbibe
certain skills and body of knowledge that will aid them in the discharge of their pastoral
responsibilities.
It will not be far-fetched to conclude that the skills, abilities and knowledge base required
to adequately fulfill the multiplicity of pastoral demands as enumerated earlier can be considered
as graduate competences and more specifically core competences since they are competences
required for a specific profession (in this instance, the pastoral ministry). This logically leads to a
discussion on the relevance of theological education as it relates to the graduate competences.
Relevance and Graduate Competence
The relevance of a course of study to a given task may be ascertained by observing
whether or not, that which was learnt from that course of study provided learners with the
requisite knowledge and skills to perform the said task. In other words, the knowledge and skill
obtained should match the given task and not be a misfit. Similarly, students who graduate from
Theological Education 43
universities, seminaries and other institutions of higher learning are either explicitly or implicitly
required to have garnered certain knowledge base and skills unique to their chosen field of study
and intended for a specific profession (core competences). For instance, the student who
specializes in Accountancy in the University is expected to have imbibed certain knowledge base
and skills-set (generic and core competences) that is akin to the Accounting profession. These
competences are intended to make the various roles and functions peculiar to the Accounting
profession come handy without which that graduate will become a misfit for such a profession.
Suffice to add that if the education provided by a given institution fails to instill in students the
requisite competences for a given profession (in this instance, the Accounting profession), that
education become suspect and may be rightly said to be irrelevant. This will be so primarily
because the purpose of such an education would have been defeated. Such an education has
failed to serve its purpose. The case is not different with theological education. Where ever and
whenever it fails to achieve its intended purpose (and in this instance prepare student for the
pastoral ministry by helping them imbibe the requisite competences to be effective in the
discharge of their pastoral responsibilities. This is where the views of respondents on the subject
merit mention and discussion.
A number of respondents indicated that their study of Hermeneutics afforded them
privilege of applying hermeneutic tools in their interpretation and understanding of the Biblical
text. Others indicated the imbibing of virtues such as discernment, humility and integrity in
ministry as a result of some of the courses studied in Ghana Christian University College; their
knowledge of ministerial ethics has been valuable in these respects.
Some other skills developed includes sermon preparation, ability to preach effectively,
ability to teach, organize and train church leaders, ability to counsel (and encourage)
Theological Education 44
congregants, ability to evangelize effectively, ability to prepare curriculum, ability to understand
people and accommodate them (ability to relate to people of differing faiths), ability to proffer a
solid defense for the Christian faith through the application of strategies (Apologetics) and
logical reasoning, ability to conduct oneself appropriately in public and private, the ability to
answer questions and deal with propaganda appropriately. A respondent noted that his education
had ignited in him the desire for learning, had broadened his horizon and has helped him
intellectually.
Contrary to the gloomy picture painted about theological education by some scholars, the
views expressed by respondents and as noted above runs counter to assertions of irrelevance,
abstractness and obsoleteness of theological education. Certainly not in the case of theological
education as provided at Ghana Christian University College.
It is however important that mention be made of the fact that per the responses of some
respondents, there is more room for improvement as far as the content of theological education
as proffered at Ghana Christian University College is concerned. They hinted of less practical as
against lots of theoretical education and the need for a balance. The need for monitoring practical
assignments and internships were also mentioned. The need for more contextualization was
brought to the fore. These observations essentially do not take away from the overwhelming
consensus of respondents that indicates in no uncertain terms that their education has proven
relevant to their pastoral ministry and that they will not hesitate to invite others to pursue
theological education at Ghana Christian University College.
Finally, what comes as striking is that a discussions surrounding the issues of theological
education, the pastoral ministry, graduate competence and relevance are intrinsically linked. This
has panned out in the discussions so far. A convergence of theological education, graduate
Theological Education 45
competence and graduate competence invariably produces relevance, the discussion thus far
seem to suggest. The study at this junction has laid the commensurate premise for the final
chapter of this study which will deal with conclusion and recommendations for the future.
Theological Education 46
CHAPTER SIX
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Conclusion
This study has largely been painstaking and rigorous in its planning and implementation.
This has resulted in this piece of work that consists of six chapters in logical succession and in
accordance with generally accepted rules governing the conduct of such a study.
This study has shown that the charge of irrelevance leveled against theological education
by some scholars is largely an over generalization. What may be true about the content of
theological education in a particularly theological institution may be false in another. Such is the
case with theological education obtainable at Ghana Christian University College.
The deficiencies inherent in the content of theological education at Ghana Christian
University College (as identified by respondents) notwithstanding, the overwhelming consensus
of the respondents is that to a large extent, Ghana Christian University College provides
theological education that produces graduates with the requisite competences to effectively
discharge their pastoral responsibilities. A significant number of knowledge-based skills were
identified by respondents who indicated that these were imbibed in the course of their theological
education at Ghana Christian University College and are utilized in their pastoral ministries.
These knowledge based skills includes the abilities to prepare sermon outlines, prepare lesson
plans, interpret Scripture accurately, preach, teach, counsel church members, administer the
sacraments (the Lord`s Supper and water baptism), relate with people of diverse faiths, run an
effective administrative system in their churches amongst others. These competences are brought
to bear in meeting the demands of their pastoral ministries. An education that provides the
requisite competences for a particular profession is without a doubt relevant to that profession.
Theological Education 47
Herein lays the relevance of theological education to the pastoral ministry of graduates of Ghana
Christian University College.
As earlier noted the study has also brought to the fore some deficiencies inherent in the
content of theological education as seen through the lenses of some graduates of the very same
institution. Suggestions for rectifying these deficiencies have been succinctly provided as
recommendations for Ghana Christian University College.
Recommendations for Ghana Christian University College
On the basis of the research findings, the researcher makes the following recommendations for
Ghana Christian University College:
1. The institution should consider the introduction of a full course on missions.
2. Efforts should be made to ensure an inclusion of a full course on Biblical exegesis that
runs for more than a semester.
3. The relevant authority (ies) should consider the inclusion in Spiritual Theology, areas that
deal with spiritual realities that the African Christian minister may be faced with in his or
her line of duty and the course should be taught by a lecturer with a lot of experience
when it comes to spiritual matters.
4. The institution should stoke the school library with more books authored by African
scholars and using some of these books as text books.
5. Pragmatic measures should be put in place by school authorities and the faculty of the
school of theology to maintain a balance between academic excellence and the spiritual
development of students.
6. The institution should make sustained conscious efforts at maintaining a balance between
theory and practice.
Theological Education 48
7. The relevant authority (ies) should consider putting in place pragmatic measures to
ensure that students` practical assignments and internships are monitored by course
instructors or lecturers.
8. School authorities should encourage spiritual disciplines such as prayer amongst students
to facilitate their spiritual development.
9. The appointing authority (ies) for the school of Theology should endeavor to employ
more lecturers who are not merely academically astute but who also have a wealth of
experience in Christian ministry.
Recommendations for Further Studies
This study as earlier noted was a qualitative research and only interviews were employed
for the purpose of gathering data. The sample size is relatively small. On the above premise,
below are recommendations for further studies.
1. A quantitative research should be conducted on the basis of the findings of this study
(which is essentially qualitative in approach). This can be done via the design and
issuance of questionnaires for a relatively large segment of the population. In other
words, the sample size of such a study will be relatively large.
2. The topic of the current study can be narrowed down to focus the study on specific
historic blocs of graduates of Ghana Christian University College. For instance a study
can be conducted with focus on graduates from 2005 to 2010 (a five years period).
Theological Education 49
References
Akrong, A. (2007). Transformation in Theological Education. Journal of African Thought, 10
(2), 27, 29. Akrofi-Christaller Institute of Theology, Missions and Culture.
Bediako, G. M. (2009). History of theological institutions. Journal of African Christian Thought,
(Vol. 12), 21. Akrofi-Christaller Institute of Theology, Missions and Culture.
Cairns, E. E. (1996). Christianity through the century: A history of the Christian Church. Grand
Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.
Chilver, A. (1999). Spiritual formation in the theological college. Africa Journal of Evangelical
Theology, (18.2). Scott Theological College.
Creswell, J. W. (2003). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods
Approaches. (2nd ed.). London: SAGE Publications.
Freire, M. J. & Teijeiro, M. (2010). Competences of graduates as an indicator of external quality
assurance in Universities. Regional and Sectoral Economic Studies, (10-3),80. Retrieved
November 2, 2012, from:http://www.eers.org1035pdf
Ghana Christian University College. (2012). Graduation 2012: 6th Congregation (46th Annual
graduation Ceremony). Accra: Ghana Christian University College.
Hildebrandt, J. (1996). History of the Church in Africa. Achimota, Ghana: Africa Christian
Press.
Hodges, D. & Burchell, N. (2003). Business graduate competencies: Employers Views on
importance and performance. Asia – Pacific Journal of Cooperative Education,16 – 17.
Retrieved November 9, 2012, from: http://www.apjce.org/File/APJE04 _2 _16_12pdf
Theological Education 50
Houston, B. (2007). The Kingdom of God: The missing framework from the curriculum.
Ogbomoso Journal of Theology. (7), 5 – 6. Oyo, Nigeria: The faculties of Theological
Studies, Religious Education and Musical, Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary.
Houghton, S. M. (1980). Sketches from Church History. Pennsylvania: The Banner of Truth
Trust.
Hussain, Z. (n. d.). Investigating into perception of graduateness of business and information
systems undergraduates. The International Journal for Quality and Standards,3.
Retrieved November 9, 2012, from:
http://www.bsieducation.org/Education/downloads/ijqs/paper14pdf
Jefferson, C. (1973). The Minister as a Shepherd. Hong Kong: Living Books for all.
Larom, P. (1989). Pastor: A practical guide for church leaders. Achimota, Ghana: Africa
Christian Press.
Poling, N., & Miller, D. E. (1985). Foundation for practical theology of ministry. Nashvile:
Abingdon Press.
Shaji, C. D. (2010). Models of Theological Education – A historical mapping. Journal of
Theological Education and Missions, pp. 87-97.
Swinton, J., & Mowat, H. (2006). Practical Theology and Qualitative Research. London: Scm
Press.
Tidball, D. J. (1997). Skilful Shepherds: Explorations in Pastoral Theology. Leicester: Apollos.
Ward, T. (Ed.) (1974). Theological Education by extension: Much more than a fad. California:
MARC Publications.
Theological Education 51
Appendix A
Ghana Christian University College
School of Theology
SEMI – STRUCTURED INTERVIEW GUIDE
For: Graduates of Ghana Christian University College in the pastoral ministry
Research topic: The relevance of theological education to the pastoral ministry of graduates of
Ghana Christian University College.
This interview is intended to ascertain the relevance or otherwise of theological education to the
pastoral ministry of graduates of Ghana Christian University College.
I crave your indulgence to be allowed to record the entire interview session. Anonymity and
confidentiality is assured. This study is being undertaken in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the award of a Bachelor of Arts in Theology degree.
PASTORAL MINISTRY
1. Have you ever served as pastor of a congregation?
2. Are you currently a pastor of a congregation?
3. How long have you served as pastor and which denomination do you serve under?
4. How are you faring in the pastoral ministry at the moment?
5. What in your estimation are the demands of the pastoral ministry per your experience?
THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION
6. I am reliably informed that you are a graduate of Ghana Christian University College;
how true is this?
7. When did you graduate from Ghana Christian University College and what course of
study did you pursue?
Theological Education 52
8. What are some of the courses you were required to study (the content of the program you
pursued at Ghana Christian University College)?
9. What are some courses you consider as the most valuable of the courses?
10. What are some of the courses you think was a waste of time?
RELEVANCE
11. Does the knowledge and skills you gained as a result of your theological education at
Ghana Christian University College have any bearing on present ministry role?
12. What specific knowledge and skills did you gain that you use in your present ministry
role?
RECOMMENDATIONS
13. Have you noticed any deficiency (ies) in the content of theological education at Ghana
Christian University College?
14. If so, what are they? (What in your opinion are some of the courses you propose should
be incorporated into the current course content of the school of theology at Ghana
Christian University College?)
15. Will you recommend the pursuance of theological education at Ghana Christian
University College to pastors (and would be pastors) and why?
Thank you for your time and help.
Theological Education 53
Appendix B
Transcriptions of Interviews
This Appendix consists of the transcribed version of eight interviews conducted and
recorded concurrently by the researcher in the course of the study. It is the primary source of data
that was heavily relied on in the study. Also worth-noting is that, for the purpose of anonymity,
pseudonyms were used in place of the real names of respondents.
First (1st) interview
Pseudonym of Respondent: Kwame Bonsu
Researcher: Have you ever served as pastor of a congregation?
Respondent: Yes, I have.
Researcher: Are you currently a pastor of a congregation?
Respondent: Yes, I am still a pastor.
Researcher: How long have you served as pastor and which denomination do you serve under?
Respondent: Actually I have served not less than 25 years. First, I began with a church by name,
Christ Reminders, that was in the 70`s, 79 precisely. Later I happened to join United Christian
Churches Brotherhood which is now Fellowship of Christian Churches and where I had my
training as a theologian to start with, where I had my three years training in pastoral ministry and
religious education.
Theological Education 54
Researcher: What in your estimation are the demands of the pastoral ministry per your
experience?
Respondent: You know, if I understood your question very well, to be a pastor one needs to be
abreast with the word of God, yourself having to be taught by the word of God, allow yourself to
be trained so that you will use whatever training you have acquired to train others, must be able
to teach and to handle issues about church ministry. A lot, duties like performing burial
ceremonies, administering communion, giving counseling to people in need in various trouble
areas, having courage and knowhow to visit people in different situations, for example, hospitals,
homes of bereaved families and being able to evangelize.
Researcher: What were some of the courses you were required to study (the content of the
program you pursued at Ghana Christian University College)?
Respondent: Then, it was a seminary. We studied Life of Christ; we studied Communication
Skills; we studied Wisdom Literature, Old Testament Prophets; we did Christian Education, and
a little bit of Basics of Accounting - plus many other subjects.
Researcher: What do you consider as one or two of the most valuable courses you just
mentioned? Do you consider any of them as the most valuable?
Respondent: All were valuable but so far as English is concerned, by my understanding of the
course I undertook, i think among all that I learnt, I took Communication Skills as the best
among the lot because I see myself as a gifted evangelist - I have the opportunity to talk to many
people convincing them of the truth in Christ, so I think that is the area I can boast of. That is not
to say that the other areas were not effective but I took delight and interest in this area.
Theological Education 55
Researcher: What specific knowledge and skill did you gain that you use in your present
ministry? In other words, what are some of the things you learnt that you currently use in your
ministry?
Respondents: I should say integrity. Sticking to what one knows is the truth and living it. That is
what is guiding me and also the spirit of humility, in that, whatever service I am rendering is not
my personal business. I am working under the authority of Jesus so I think I am guided by
integrity above all other things.
If I understood your question very well, there is this area of having insight to be able to
discern what people bring across in line with Scripture because from my look of things we see a
lot of people showing up day in and day out claiming they have been sent by God in ministry but
in those lives, we are able to determine those who are there to carry out their own agenda and
those who are there to do the Lord`s work.
Respondent: I cannot say there was any deficiency but rather I see advancement in what I studied
before, compared to what I am now receiving. With time, knowledge is increasing and one needs
to be abreast with those demands. This is what I see makes a difference. There is advancement to
religion and a such that is the only difference I can see. Before I entered into theological
institution in those years, I thought I knew something but when I came and allowed myself to be
trained, I realized how ignorant I used to be and with whatever information I had is what built
me up into the years until I realized the need for advancement since education has no limit.
Researcher: Will you recommend the pursuance of Theological Education at Ghana Christian
University College to pastors and would be pastors?
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Respondent: Sure! Sure! I think I will because the kind of training that is given here is adequate
to equip any serious person or any serious minded person who wants to do ministry for the Lord
so I will, I will.
Researcher: I really appreciate the fact that you gave me this amount of your time and provided
this amount of information.
Respondent: You are welcome and to God be the glory.
Second (2nd) Interview
Pseudonym of Respondent: Elorm Sai
Researcher: Have you ever served as a pastor of a congregation?
Respondent: Yes, I have served.
Researcher: Are you currently a pastor?
Respondent: Yes, I am.
Researcher: How long have you served as pastor and with which denomination?
Respondent: I have been serving for the past seven (7) years in the Evangelical Church of Ghana,
specifically, in the Kpandai district.
Researcher: What are the demands of the pastoral ministry per your experience?
Respondent: The demand of the pastoral ministry is to really get prepared for the ministry to
which you have been called. Preparing in the area of administration, preparing in the area of
Theological Education 57
being able to understand the word of God and interpreting its meaning to the members and also
be able to communicate well to others.
Researcher: As a pastor, do you perform all those roles?
Respondent: Yes, I perform.
Researcher: I am reliably informed that you are a graduate of Ghana Christian University
College?
Respondent: That is very true.
Researcher: When did you graduate from this school and which course of study did you pursue?
Respondent: I graduated in the year 2005. The program I pursued is Higher Certificate in
Pastoral Ministry.
Researcher: What are some of the courses you were required to study, that is, the content of the
program you pursued at Ghana Christian University College?
Respondent: The courses are many but I can give you a few of them for now. I did Practical
Ministry, Origins of Civilization, OT 1, OT 2. I also did Apologetics, Teaching Methods. I did
Counseling, Church History, a lot; they are many. These are some of the things I can mention.
Researcher: What do you consider as some of the most valuable of the courses?
Respondent: They are applicable. I have been able to apply them to my life. Yes. Some are more
valuable than others. Like, I didn`t mention Hermeneutics. I did Hermeneutics and that
Hermeneutics has really helped me to do very good interpretation of the Bible and then Practical
Ministry actually helped me to do the practical aspects of ministry.
Theological Education 58
Researcher: Were some of the courses a waste of time?
Respondent: Yes, I think some of the courses were a waste of time to me. Like these religions
because when I went, I could not use those materials and then there are, the World Religions I
am talking about and Apologetics; Apologetics too is good but I could not use it because where I
worked, I realized that there was no need for all these kinds of things so I could not make good
use of them.
Researcher: What specific Skills and Knowledge did you gain during you study at Ghana
Christian University College that you use in your present ministry role?
Respondent: How to prepare sermons and able to preach effectively and also be able to teach,
organize leaders and train them, counseling. Counseling has actually helped me and I am making
use of it and others.
Researcher: Have you noticed any deficiencies in the content of theological education at Ghana
Christian University College?
Respondent: The content is not bad any way but what I think is that when you are on Campus,
you only go through the theoretical aspect of ministry, the practical aspects are missing and
sometimes students may be asked to go and do some internship and you come back with a report,
whether it is true or not, no one knows about it because nobody will go out there and bring a bad
report concerning himself. So the content is good but how to monitor it and know that really it is
making an impact on the students is a problem that I think the school has.
Researcher: Finally, will you recommend the pursuance of theological education at Ghana
Christian University College to pastors or would-be pastors and why will you do so?
Theological Education 59
Respondent: I will recommend and even I have recommended it to a lot of them and the reason is
that the teaching and everything that goes on here concerning the ministry is more effective than
those of other theological institutions because when I went out there, when I meet with people
who went to some other theological institutions, there is a difference.
Third (3rd) Interview
Pseudonym of Respondent: Felix Dramani
Researcher: Have you ever served as a pastor of a congregation?
Respondent: Yes
Researcher: Are you currently a pastor of a congregation?
Respondent: Yes
Researcher: How long have you served as pastor and which denomination do you serve under?
Respondent: Okay. I served in the Church before I came to Ghana Christian College and
Seminary twelve years now and when I came to school, I saw a big difference; there were many
things I did not know and there were some things that I understood in a different way but when I
came to the school, it opened my mind and I was able to understand the background of the
Scriptures which I did not know until I came here, and also the work that I am doing now as an
evangelist, I learnt it when we were taught by professor Tim Bright; he taught as evangelism and
many strategies that I use in the field which I did not know before I came here and so I will want
Theological Education 60
to say pastoral training is very profitable. After my training at Ghana Christian College and
Seminary, I joined the Christian Church.
Researcher: What in your estimation are the demands of the pastoral ministry per your
experience?
Respondent: My responsibility as a pastor is to teach the Word and before I teach the Word, I
must know the context and all these I did not know before I came here. Evangelism, counseling,
encouragement; the Bible helps us encourage, counsel, teach and also to evangelize.
Researcher: What are some of the courses you were required to study (the content of the
program you pursued at Ghana Christian University College)?
Respondent: A lot, a lot! OT, History, Bible Survey, Christian Doctrines, Prophets. A lot, which I
cannot mention all but we were taught the whole Bible (from Genesis to Revelation).
Researcher: What do you consider as the most valuable of the courses?
Respondent: Systematic Theology because here you are being taught Christian Doctrines, so
Systematic Theology is very good.
Researcher: What do you think was a waste of time?
Respondent: I don’t think any of the courses were a waste even Hinduism. We are Christians but
in Hinduism, I still learnt something, let us say, what I learnt in Hinduism is that, for the Hindus
they say there is a god inside you so if you can help yourself come out from that, then you are
God but we are not God; we are God`s children. This tells me I have to draw nearer to God-I will
be more than what the Hindus think, so I did not see any of the courses as useless. All of them
are useful.
Theological Education 61
Researcher: What specific knowledge and skills did you gain that you use in your present
ministry?
Respondent: Good! I may talk about evangelism; there were skills that I learnt, how to talk to
people, how to convince them. Sometimes I will not even open my Bible, I will look at how God
designed the world and begin to speak to them about the Bible. These are skills that I learnt. And
also, I learnt about counseling; it is a skill I also learnt here and encouragement. All these is
something given to me here.
There are more. In Christian Education, we learnt about Psychology and we learnt about
teaching methods, we learnt about organizational structure. We learnt about how to prepare
curriculum. All these things I can use to teach in the secular world - secular schools, so all these
are good.
Researcher: Have you noticed any deficiencies in the content of theological education at Ghana
Christian University College?
Respondent: No, I did not notice anything like that but there some courses that are more
interested than others.
Researcher: Finally, will you recommend the pursuance of theological education at Ghana
Christian University College to pastors (and would be pastors) and why?
Respondent: Surely I will recommend and recommend because; let me give this example looking
at the Bible. Let me give the example of Peter and the apostle Paul. Peter was a fisherman but
uneducated and he could not do much but Paul, because of his educational background, he did a
lot. He gave us 14 books (Some people say 13 books) but Peter gave us only 1st and 2nd Peter.
Theological Education 62
And I am thinking that the way I look at Peter, if Peter had been educated, he might have done
more than Paul. So people who are ignorant downplay theological education but they actually
don`t know what it entails. So theological education really prepares pastors, expands our horizon
in the field of Christian Education. The Bible even says study to show yourself approved a
workman who does not need to be ashamed so we need to educate ourselves.
Fourth (4th) Interview
Pseudonym of Respondent: Kingsley Aboagye
Researcher: Have you ever served as pastor of a congregation?
Respondent: Yes
Researcher: Are you currently a pastor of a congregation?
Respondent: Yes
Researcher: How long have you served as pastor and which denomination do you serve under?
Respondent: I have served as a pastor for almost twelve years now in God`s Way Christian
Church, a branch of Christian Church.
Researcher: In your estimation what are the demands of the pastoral ministry per your
experience?
Respondent: As a pastor or senior pastor, I supervise the activities of the church, I manage the
Church, pray for the Church, visit Church members, giving them the Word of God, appointing
Theological Education 63
people to take some leadership positions. I take care of both the spiritual and the physical aspects
of the Church.
Researcher: I am reliably informed that you are a graduate of Ghana Christian University
College. How true is this?
Respondent: Yes
Researcher: When did you graduate from Ghana Christian University College and what
programme did you pursue?
Respondent: Okay. I studied Higher Certificate in Pastoral Ministry and graduated in 2004.
Researcher: What are some of the courses you were required to study (the content of the
programme you pursued at Ghana Christian University College)?
Respondent: I did Systematic Theology, the Life of Christ, Pauline Epistles, the book of Romans.
I did the book of Acts, Bible Survey, Pastoral Counseling, Evangelism and many more.
Researcher: Which of these do you consider as the most valuable?
Respondent: As an Evangelist, I like the evangelism side but the others are very important. If I
look at my call, I am an evangelist.
Researcher: Do you consider any of the courses as a waste of time?
Respondent: Well, I don`t consider any of them as a waste of time but sometimes, it may not help
us presently but the belief is that they may prove helpful in the future. We learnt of a lot of things
but some are not applicable in our local Churches but still when one goes out, one realizes how
important it is.
Theological Education 64
Researcher: What specific skills and knowledge did you gain at Ghana Christian University
College that you currently use in your ministry?
Respondent: I think this is a very difficult question but I think i learnt something like honesty,
integrity and I also learnt how to read the Scriptures and understand it, taking it from the
background to the New Testament and then how to apply it. So I think those areas helped me a
lot.
Researcher: Have you noticed any deficiencies in the content of theological education at Ghana
Christian University College?
Respondent: Like I said, now I cannot say yes or no. I think the courses were okay for our time.
Researcher: Will you recommend theological education at Ghana Christian University College
to pastors and would – be pastors?
Respondent: Well, I think they have good teachers and they are very serious with teaching so I
think it will be good to direct people to go and study because if they go there they will get what
they want and they will go through not just academics but discipline and this will help them.
Firth (5th) Interview
Pseudonym of Respondent: Freeman Gyamfi
Researcher: Have you ever served as pastor of a congregation?
Respondent: If my memory serves me right, it was before 2008 when I came to the Bible School
that I was serving under the senior pastor of my Church, Fountain Gate Chapel. I was not
Theological Education 65
ordained as a pastor but almost did everything that a pastor is supposed to do. That was the time I
did the work of a pastor.
Besides that, when I came to school, Ghana Christian University College, the school has a
fellowship where a few of us were selected to stir the affairs of the fellowship, therefore we
carried it as our responsibility as pastors are supposed to do; we preached, we taught, we went on
evangelism, we went on visitation, prayed for the people and all those things so that is basically
what I did when it comes to pastoral ministry.
Researcher: Are you currently a pastor of a congregation?
Respondent: At the moment I am not pastoring any church but just as I said earlier, the Campus
Fellowship where I used to fellowship with, I still work with them, I minister, carry out the role
of a pastor. Besides that, I carry out series of activities concerning pastoral ministry at Emmanuel
Eye Centre where we minister the word of God to people, we counsel people, we pray for people
who are in need and do visitations and send people to Churches to fellowship with them.
Researcher: I am reliably informed that you are a graduate of Ghana Christian University
College; how true is this?
Respondent: Yes, that is true. I just graduated in September, 2012, though our certificates are not
yet in.
Researcher: What are some of the courses you were required to study (the content of the
programme you pursued at Ghana Christian University College)?
Respondent: Back in school, we studied a lot of courses under leadership and Christian
Education. Some of the courses included Psychology, Church History, Church Administration,
Theological Education 66
Pastoral Ministry. These are just few that I mentioned. There are still some. We did
Archaeology, we did Traditional Religion. We did Youth Ministry and so on and so forth.
Researcher: What do you consider as the most valuable of the courses?
Respondent: I think to have a holistic training so far as theological education is concerned,
almost every course is important just as Scripture says that every part of the body is very
important because even the least that you think is the least, if it is taken out of the body becomes
incomplete. Almost every aspect of training; the courses is very important but for me, one of the
courses that really touched me so much is Church Administration. I have come to realize that
most of the Churches that are around have loopholes when it comes to the administration of the
Church. The course actually opened my eyes so far as the structures of the Church are concerned
and to find out how the leadership is supposed to run the Church the way God wants it. That is
one of the courses that I really admire so much.
Researcher: What specific knowledge and skills did you gain that you use in your present
ministry role?
Respondent: A lot. You see, when it comes to the work of the ministry, sometimes there is the
assumption that when you have the anointing, you can do the work of God. Yes, it is possible but
a little training here and there goes a long way to booster the gifting that is in the individual.
For me specifically, my ability to interpret the Scriptures accurately is one of the hallmarks
of a theologian because the idea is that, if you don`t interpret the Bible accurately, you pass on
whatever is been supposed to be the Word of God, you end up polluting the people under you.
That is why when you look at the centuries past, most of the heresies that came about were as a
result of these things, lack of training and people led many astray; people deceived others and so
Theological Education 67
for me, my ability to look at Scripture and interpret it appropriately and then present it
accordingly are part of the important aspects of my education that I value so much. And besides
that, every leader or pastor has the mandate of shepherding God`s people and as the Bible says,
God has placed pastor to run or to mentor people. Now, if the pastor fails to do that
appropriately, he or she will account to God and so I place so much value on the fact that it is my
responsibility to account to God based on the people that pass through my hands and so, pastoral
care and shepherding God`s people as some of the courses we did are so relevant and it has
helped me to understand people in their setting and in their situation, accommodate them and the
work of God will go on.
Researcher: Have you noticed any deficiencies in the content of theological education at Ghana
Christian University College?
Respondent: This is interesting. You know, in almost every training that one goes through, it may
not be hundred percent (100%) perfect, however, looking at the situation that we find ourselves
in these times, there were most of the courses that I think failed to reflect the current trends of
life and situations. And so, though it was not perfect, we just gleaned the things that we thought
could booster our understanding of the Word of God and how we can apply it to our lives first
and that of people who will pass through our hands. It was not 100% accurate and perfect but we
gleaned the good ones, we built on them and use it to help in the running of the ministry. For
example, most of the courses were it demanded practicality, practicality was missing and so you
learn the theory in the classroom but how do you apply what you have learnt in the real life
situation.
Theological Education 68
Okay. Let me give you an example. You learn about evangelism and then theoretically
you are taught about evangelism but it is one thing to learn the theory, however, it is another
thing to put what you have learnt into practice. Where at least if you learn the theory, you are
sent into the field; your mentors or your instructors or lecturers see you through how this can be
done in the real life situation. Some of those things were missing. And besides that, the books
that were used to learn do not fit in our context. Almost all the books that we used through the
years are foreign books, books from America, United Kingdom and all those places. Now, their
set up is very different from ours. Their context is different from ours but then, for instance, let
me give you an example here; one of the major problems we are faced with is poverty. Now, to
them, poverty is not a big issue because they are rich and they are advanced so most of their
books do not fit into our context. Are you getting what I am saying? We get their books but the
situations that we are faced with are different from theirs. Those were some of the challenges
that we were confronted with during our stay in school.
Researcher: Will you recommend the pursuance of theological education at Ghana Christian
University College to pastors and would-be pastors?
Respondent: I will do so. Reason number one; you see, every Christian and for that matter people
who are called into the pastoral ministry are vessels of God. It is like raw material that has not
been processed, it becomes unusable but when it has been processed into its finished product,
then you can use it to do whatever you want to do with it. The calling may be there but it requires
training and training under tutors; people who have learnt and know what the Bible says. So it is
necessary that every pastor or every potential pastor goes through training – theological training
to be able to run the pastoral ministry.
Theological Education 69
Number two; let us consider Doctors and other professionals. They cannot just get up and
begin to operate on an individual or their profession without going through training. It is like
taking a car and giving it to a novice, somebody who has not been taught how to drive. Can you
imagine the number of people such a person will kill on the way? So it is with theological
education. The fallacy is that we think when you have the anointing, you can do the pastoral
ministry but it should not be the situation. It requires training. The Bible says my people perish
for the lack of knowledge. We need training. Jesus said, “You shall know the truth and the truth
shall set you free. How can you know the truth unless you learn? And we learn under people who
know. So it is very necessary.
And thirdly, there are excesses in the body of Christ. Day in, day out, people who have not
gone through theological education have been using the Bible inappropriately to extort and
sometimes mal – handle some of the text simply because they do not know what goes in or what
the text is all about. So for us to be able to curtail or prevent some of these excesses, it requires
that every pastor or potential pastor goes through theological education to be equipped to be able
to run or to do the pastoral ministry. These are the few reasons why I think we need to go
through theological education in other to do the work of God and to do it properly.
Sixth (6th) Interview
Pseudonym of Respondent: Nana AsareAsiedu
Researcher: Have you ever served as pastor of a congregation?
Respondent: Yes
Theological Education 70
Researcher: Are you currently a pastor of a congregation?
Respondent: Yes
Researcher: How long have you served as pastor and which denomination do you serve under?
Respondent: I have served as pastor for the past eight (8) years and have served under the
Christian Church.
Researcher: How are you faring in the pastoral ministry at the moment?
Respondent: It has been a mix-bug. I am doing well currently but there are times when the
demands are numerous and seemingly overwhelming.
Researcher: What in your estimation are the demands of the pastoral ministry per your
experience?
Respondent: A lot of demands. Pastors visit church members, counsel and pray for church
members with respect to the challenges they encounter in life. Pastors teach and preach from the
Scriptures. They also get involved in evangelism and in mobilizing their church membership to
do so.
Researcher: I am reliably informed that you are a graduate of Ghana Christian University
College; how true is this?
Respondent: Yes I am.
Researcher: When did you graduate from Ghana Christian University College and what course
of study did you pursue?
Theological Education 71
Respondent: I graduated from Ghana Christian University College in the year 2011 after having
pursued a two year higher certificate in pastoral ministry.
Researcher: What are some of the courses you were required to study (the content of the
programme you pursued at Ghana Christian University College)?
Respondent: We studied numerous courses. We studied Prophets, Old Testament Prophets 1 and
2, Systematic Theology, Apologetics, Christian Education, Bible Backgrounds, African
Traditional Religion, Pauline Epistles, Hermeneutics, Pastoral Counseling and Practical
Ministry. There are many others but they do not readily come to mind.
Researcher: What are some courses you consider as the most valuable of the courses?
Respondent: I think all the courses are valuable.
Researcher: What are some of the courses you think was a waste of time?
Respondent: I personally think that none of the courses was a waste of time.
Researcher: What specific knowledge and skills did you gain that you use in your present
ministry role?
Respondent: How to interpret the Scriptures accurately and how to employ certain Apologetical
tools in defense of the Christian faith. How to conduct oneself in private and in public; how to
relate to people of differing beliefs and religions were all learnt and internalized during the
course of my study at Ghana Christian University College.
Researcher: Have you noticed any deficiencies in the content of theological education at Ghana
Christian University College?
Theological Education 72
Respondent: Yes I have.
Researcher: If so, what are they (What in your opinion are some of the courses you propose
should be incorporated into the current course content of the School of Theology at Ghana
Christian University College)?
Respondent: There is a lot more focus on theory as against practical. Prayer is not encouraged
much and some lecturers are very good in the theoretical aspects of the courses we undertook but
they are shallow in experience. Also, some lecturers are hostile to the expression of divergent
views and seem to think only what they say is accurate.
Researcher: Will you recommend the pursuance of theological education at Ghana Christian
University College to pastors (and would be pastors) and why?
Respondent: Oh yes! I will. I think Ghana Christian University College is the best place to study
theology in Ghana; the best place to prepare for the pastoral ministry. There is so much one can
learn as long as one takes his or her studies seriously.
Seventh (7th) Interview
Pseudonym of Respondent: Nii Odai Adjetey
Researcher: Are you currently a pastor of a congregation?
Respondent: Yes, I am pastoring two congregations at the moment in two rural communities.
Researcher: How long have you served as pastor and with which denomination?
Theological Education 73
Respondent: I have served as pastor for about five years now. I started when I came to Ghana
Christian University College. I pastored a number of Churches but worked more with Regal
Gospel Ministry. Currently, I pastor two churches in the North.
Researcher: How are you faring in the pastoral ministry at the moment?
Respondent: Things are moving on quite well. However, there are challenges. At times, the
congregations seem to be doing well, whereas at other times, they seem to do badly. It’s a roller
coaster experience and this can be quite frustrating. This is so partly because most members of
the congregation are illiterates and are first generation Christians. It takes a lot more time for
them to grasp what is being taught them.
Researcher: What are the demands of the pastoral ministry per your experience?
Respondent: The demands are monumental. As a pastor in such communities, one is expected to
live a life close to perfection. People within the church and outside the church expect so much
from pastors; they are expected to live holy lives and to be an example to the flock. Pastors are
required to give and tithe just as they require their flock to give and to tithe.
Also, as a pastor, I am required to preach, teach leaders, encourage people, advise them
and correct them.
Researcher: As a pastor, do you perform all those roles?
Respondent: Yes, I do
Researcher: I am reliably informed that you are a graduate of Ghana Christian University
College?
Theological Education 74
Respondent: Yes, I actually graduated from Ghana Christian University College in 2011 with
Bachelor of Arts in Theology after four years of education.
Researcher: What are some of the courses you were required to study, that is, the content of the
programme you pursued at Ghana Christian University College?
Respondent: I majored in Biblical languages and Pastoral leadership. Courses I was required to
take included Old Testament 1and 2, Evangelism, Counseling, Pastoral ministry, Sociology,
Philosophy and many others.
Researcher: What are some courses you consider as the most valuable of the courses?
Respondent: I will not say some are more valuable than others; all are valuable. However,
because of where I am currently ministering, that is, in two rural communities, some of the
courses I did are not currently valuable to me. This is because they are not required where I
pastor currently. Courses such as Sociology, World Religions and African Traditional Religion
are more valuable to me where I am. I live in a society and also work among people of different
faiths, and particularly, adherents of African Traditional Religion.
Researcher: What are some of the courses you think was a waste of time?
Respondent: None of the courses was a waste of time even though some of the knowledge and
skills gained from some of the courses are more relevant for the pastoral ministry where I am
currently. Some of the courses I do not find valuable at the moment because of my context, may
be valuable in urban communities. Apart from that, all the courses I studied at Ghana Christian
University College have broadened my horizon; they are of a high class and even helps one who
desires to pursue further studies.
Theological Education 75
Researcher: What specific knowledge and skills did you gain that you use in your present
ministry role?
Respondent: A lot. It is dangerous to pastor without theological education. At Ghana Christian
University College, we are taught Christian Ethics and ethics of the ministry. One gets to know
when to speak, where not to speak, how to conduct one-self. In Apologetics, we were taught how
to answer questions and how to deal with propaganda. All these have helped me a lot. It has
helped me intellectually and has created in me the desire for learning. I buy a lot of Christian
literature and read them because of the level of training acquired at Ghana Christian University
College.
Researcher: Have you noticed any deficiencies in the content of theological education at Ghana
Christian University College?
Respondent: Yes, I have noticed some deficiencies. I think Missions should be included in the
courses. Yes, we do Church History but the focus is not on missions. I have in recent times
purchased books on Christian Missions, have been reading them and have found them enriching.
I found out that there is a lot more we can do to advance God`s Kingdom. I shared tears recently
when I read about the sacrifices of some of the missionaries. I think that if Missions is taught as a
course, it will be very helpful.
Also, attention should be given to the spiritual life of the students. It seems prayer is not
encouraged much. Also, we did a course known as Spiritual Theology but it did not address a lot
of spiritual issues perhaps because of the lecturer who taught that course. I think spiritually-
inclined lecturers-lecturers with experience in spiritual matters should be made to teach that
course. Out here, there are many real spiritual issues to deal with and I think with information on
Theological Education 76
spiritual issues, graduates will be equipped to deal with spiritual matters. Knowledge is
important and powerful. Knowledge in this area will therefore be extremely helpful.
Also, some lecturers, it seems do not have much experience in ministry; and so they are
very good when it comes to theoretical aspects of the courses they handle but are low on hands
on experience; this prevents them from relating the theory to present day ministerial issues and
making the courses more relevant.
Researcher: Finally, will you recommend the pursuance of theological education at Ghana
Christian University College to pastors or would-be pastors and why will you do so?
Respondent: Yes, I will recommend. Ghana Christian University College is the best in Ghana. It
equips students for the pastoral ministry and for further education. If one attends this school, the
person will be a better person for God`s use so far as the person is serious with his or hers studies
and whatever training he or she is receiving from Ghana Christian University College.
Eighth (8th) Interview
Pseudonym of Respondent: Augustus Quarshie
Researcher: Have you ever served as pastor of a congregation?
Respondent: Yes, i have pastored a congregation and still do.
Researcher: How long have you served as pastor and which denomination do you serve under?
Respondent: I have served as a pastor for the past five years. Throughout this period till date, I
have served as an ordained minister with Christ Apostolic Church, Ghana.
Theological Education 77
Researcher: How are you faring in the pastoral ministry at the moment?
Respondent: I am doing quite well. There are many moments of fulfillment and triumphs in the
course of pastoring but there have also been challenging moments. However, by God`s grace,
many of these challenges have been surmounted.
Researcher: What in your estimation are the demands of the pastoral ministry per your
experience?
Respondent: Over my five years ministry as a pastor, i have had to handle numerous demands
flowing from a multiplicity of tasks I am commissioned to fulfill by my denomination and the
expectations of my congregants. They include preaching, teaching, administering the sacraments,
namely, the Lord`s Supper and water baptism, Organizing leadership seminars for church
leaders, Presiding over church leadership meetings, counseling congregants individually and
functioning as an administrator of the Church among many others.
Researcher: I am reliably informed that you are a graduate of Ghana Christian University
College; how true is this?
Respondent: That is factual.
Researcher: When did you graduate from Ghana Christian University College and what course
of study did you pursue?
Respondent: I graduated from Ghana Christian University College in 2008 after having pursued a
four- year degree in Theology; Bachelor of Arts in Theology, to be precise.
Researcher: What are some of the courses you were required to study (the content of the
programme you pursued at Ghana Christian University College)?
Theological Education 78
Respondent: I was required to study numerous courses, some of which do not come readily to
mind. I will do my best to mention quite a number of them. Hermeneutics, Homiletics,
Evangelism, Islam, African Traditional Religion, World Religions, Church Administration,
Christian Apologetics, Pastoral Counseling, Christian Ethics, Philosophy, Sociology, Practical
Ministry and many others.
Researcher: What are some courses you consider as the most valuable of the courses?
Respondent: I consider all the courses I was required to study as equally valuable. Most courses
have a direct bearing on the pastoral ministry whereas a few have a bearing on the pastoral,
though not directly.
Researcher: What specific Knowledge and skills did you gain that you use in your present
ministry role?
Respondent: A lot. The knowledge base and skills required for undertaking tasks such as
overseeing the affairs of the Church, teaching, evangelizing, preaching, rightly interpreting the
Scriptures, counseling congregants, administering the sacraments, that is, the communion and
water baptism, performance of burial services and many other such functions were internalized
during the course of my studies at Ghana Christian University College and are used frequently in
the discharge of my pastoral responsibilities.
Researcher: Have you noticed any deficiencies in the content of theological education at Ghana
Christian University College?
Respondent: Yes, I have. It is worth-noting that no system in this plane of life exudes perfection.
That is simply the case with theological education at Ghana Christian University College.
Theological Education 79
Researcher: If so, what are they (What in your opinion are some of the courses you propose
should be incorporated into the current course content of the School of Theology at Ghana
Christian University College)?
Respondent: A course in Biblical Exegesis that runs for more than a semester will be apt. Also,
measures should be taken to ensure a balance between the intellectual development and the
spiritual formation of students. These should be juxtaposed with practical (given students
opportunities to have hands-on experience in the pastoral ministry under the periodic monitoring
by lecturers).
Researcher: Will you recommend the pursuance of Theological Education at Ghana Christian
University College to pastors (and would be pastors) and why?
Respondent: Yes, I will. To a large extent, Ghana Christian University College provides a
conducive atmosphere for her students to blossom intellectually, morally, spiritually and
professionally through the teaching and learning process under the watchful eyes of highly
trained (and experienced) lecturers. It is my personal conviction that any student who avails
himself or herself to the rigors of the teaching and learning process available at Ghana Christian
University College will in no doubt obtain the requisite preparation for effectiveness in the
pastoral ministry.
Researcher: Thank you for your time and assistance.
Respondent: It is my pleasure to be of assistance to you.
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